1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to televisions and more particularly to an improved back center panel for video display device. The invention is a thin centrally-mounted back solution for a flat panel display that houses all electronics and connectors for the display. The central solution also contains the main controller board for the display and the power supply.
2. Background of the Invention
Televisions have evolved from black and white, to color, and most recently into flat panels and high definition televisions. Through this process, the technology used to perform the various functions has progressed from clunky to refined. In particular, flat panel displays have become very popular due to the low space requirement, the possibility of wall-mounted units, and the availability of digital-quality picture.
In the prior art, flat panel displays have often been approximately 3-5 inches thick, a considerable improvement over the prior art, but in virtually every embodiment this thickness covers the entirety of the back of the flat panel display. In many cases the effective thickness of the display is further increased due to poor cable management. This thickness is typically used throughout the display to enable the display's control or logic boards to dissipate heat at functional levels and in order that the display may be uniform thickness throughout for aesthetic purposes. Additionally, electronics and input and output connections to the display are typically embedded throughout the back of the display in the prior art, necessitating the use of a uniform thickness throughout. A great deal of wiring is used, when mass produced, to connect all of these disparate electronic components and input and output connectors within the back of a display in the prior art. The addition of these longer signal paths and corresponding connectors introduces visible and unnecessary electronic signal degradation and interference. Additionally, the electronic components' scattered positions throughout the back of the display increase the manufacturing cost of wiring the components together.
However, the present invention is a flat panel display that provides all input and output connections, the main logic board, the power supply and the connections to the display within a small rectangular area, similar to a human spine, in the center-back of a flat panel display. Other elements of the display attach to or are housed within this spine reducing cost and weight, and this allows for more efficient manufacture as well as repair. The mount-points for wall mounting and other mounting options for flat panel displays are also included in the spine. The remaining area surrounding this “spine” on either side is very thin and very aesthetically pleasing. It also has the additional effect of making the unit lighter and smaller. The connectors, such as for a/c power and digital video in are on either side of the spine, rather than on the back or bottom so as to allow for easy wall-mounting or simply placing the display close to the wall. Additionally, the spine-side-mounted connections enable the user to more easily see and access the connections when the unit is wall-mounted or placed close to a wall.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a back panel of a flat panel display that is aesthetically pleasing, thinner, lighter, easier to use, independent of display size, has flexible attach points for sub-components and which may be mounted closer to the wall due to the “spine” design than previous flat panel displays in the art. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a standardized single structure in multiple sizes of flat panel displays for use with the same wall and other mounting equipment. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a standardized single structure in multiple sizes of flat panel displays for use with the same base. It is a further object of the present invention to limit the depth away from the wall that the display is mounted. It is an additional object to enable standardization of internal power supply and reduced use of necessary shielding material for wires, as they are now only housed in the central spine.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide easy viewing and access to input, output and other connectors to the display, as they are now visible and accessible from the sides of the spine of the display. It is a further object of the present invention to allow cables to “waterfall” to the sides of the spine, not requiring additional space behind the display or out from the back of the display and further not “kinking” the cables for poor performance. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a single heatsink and logic board for use with multiple television displays, further saving in production costs due to standardization. These and other objects of the present invention will be seen in the following description of the invention.